Envelope or similar container for use in connection with c. o. d. transactions



April 1944- E. B. BERKowrrz .3 7. ENVELOPE 0R SIMILAR CONTAINER FOR USEIN CONNECTION WITH COLLECT-ON-DELIVERY TRANSACTIONS INVENTOR g5; 5flerkowifl.

ATTORNEY p 1944- E. B. BERKOWITZ 2,347, 7

ENVELOPE OR SIMILAR CONTAINER FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITHCOLLECT-ON-DELIVERY TRANSACTIONS Filed Aug. 3, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR Patented Apr. 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENVELOPE OR,SIMILAR CONTAINER, FOR

USE IN CONNECTION WITH C. 0. D. TRANS- ACTIONS Application August 3,1942, Serial No. 453,322

9 Claims.

This invention relates to envelopes or similar containers particularlyfor use in mailing pieces on which the sender desires acollect-on-delivery service. For example, it is the customary practicein mailing items requiring such service for the addressor to attach a.C. O. D. tag furnished by the postal department, the tag being tied,taped, or stapled to the envelope or container on which the collectionis desired. Such tags are often insecurely attached and they becomeseparated from the mailing piece with which they are associated, causinginconvenience and delay in making the delivery and returning thecollection to the sender.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to providea mailing container such as an envelope or the like with a tag formed asan integral part thereof and which is adapted for ready removal by apostal employee making the delivery and the required collection.

Other objects of the invention are to provide the tag as an extension onone of the flap portions of an envelope; to provide the envelope withmeans for retaining the extension in fiat-relation with the envelope; toprovide a tag arrangement which locates the face of the tag adjacent thearea of the envelope designated to receive the name and address of theaddressee; and to provide location of the tag in comparative relationwith the C. O. D. information that the postal department requires to beapplied on the envelope.

'In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, ashereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved details of structure,the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accom p-anyingdrawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a mailing piece such as an envelopeembodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar perspective view with the corners of the C. O. D.tag released from the envelope and the tag swung to position fordetachment.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the blank from which the envelope isformed.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section through the envelope.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates an envelope formed of a blank 2 out from a suitable paperstock and comprising a substantially rectangular shaped portion 3, sideflaps 4 and 5 coextensive with sides of the portion 3, a bottom flap 6,and a closure flap 1 coextensive with the upper and lower edges of theportion 3. The flap 4 is of less width than-the Width of the portion .3so that when it is folded on the line 8 the free marginal edge 9 thereofis spaced from the .fold ll] of the side flap 5. The side flap 5 is oisufficient width to provide a marginal edge I! adapted to overlie andseal against the marginal edge 9 of the flap 4. The bottom flap 5 isfolded on the line 12' to seal against the lower marginal edges of theflaps 4 and 5. The flaps 4, 5 and 6 thus form one side portion 13 of theenvelope, the other side ll of which is formed by the portion 3 toprovide a pocket 15 therebetween having an insert opening coextensivewith the closure flap 1. The closure flap 1 may be provided with gum l6whereby it may be sealed over the side portion 13 to close the insertopening.

In order that the envelope may be used for the intended purpose, theside flap 5 is provided with a lateral tag or xtension l1 that is formedas an integral part of the blank 2 and, adapted to overlie the flap 4,the extension being of such a size that the end edges 18 and it arespaced slightly from the edges of the flaps 6 and l. The

free side edge 2E! of the extension terminates slightly short of thefold B so that all the edges lie within the boundaries of the envelope.

To facilitate removal of the extension I! when desired, the juncturethereof with the flap 5 is preferably provided with a line of tear orperforations 2 I. In order to retain the tag or extension ii in.substantially fiat relation with the body of the envelope, the fiap 4 isprovided with angularly arranged slots 22 and 23 that are located nearthe fold 8 in such a position that corners 24 and 25 of the tag I! -maybe tucked into the slots as shown in Fig. l. The extension thus providedforms the C. O. D. tag and carries the same printing on the face andrear sides 26 and 2'! thereof. For example, the face side 25, Fig. 1,has a central area 28, the ends of which are defined by indicated linesof cut 29 and 30. The area 23 bears information regarding the postalmoney order which is required to be returned for the money collected,and includes a heading 35 having space for the application of the C. O.D. article Number 32. Under the heading and to the right is an area 33for receiving the postmark of the mailing oflice of the money order andat the opposite side is an area 34 for the post-mark of the deliveryoffice, and intermediate thereof are boxes 35, tt'and 31 in which thenumber of the money order, date of issue, and name of the postalemployee delivering the article are entered. The lower portion of thearea 28 has spaces 38 and 39 for indicating the amount to be remitted tothe sender by money order and the money order fee. Below these spacesare the areas 40 and 4| for the name and address of the sender and thename and addressee of the article. The space to the right of the line 29forms a. receipt 42 which bears instructions to the postmaster of thedelivery office, a space 43 for the stamp of the mailing oflice, and aspace 44 for signature of the delivery employee acknowledg ing receiptof the article for delivery. The receipt also has a space 45 on whichthe number of the C. O. D. article is applied.

On the rear of the tag, between the indicated lines of cut 29 and 38 arespaces 46 for the date of delivery, M for the signatureof the addressee,and 42 for the schedule of post-oifice money order fees.

Printed on the flap 5, directly'above the C. O. D. tag, are designations41 for the name and address of the addressee and spaces 48 for the nameof the sender. Located to the side of the area 41 is a space 49 on whichthe number of the C. O. D. article is applied in the space, the amountdue the sender, the amount of the money order and the total amount to becollected. It is thus obvious that all of the information concerning theC. O. D. collection is located so that the names and addresses, amountsand article numbers are readily comparable without handling of the tag.

In using the envelope constructed and folded as described, with thecorners 24 and 25 of the tag I! tucked into the slots 22 and 23, thesender places the matter or article he desires to transmit within theenvelope and seals the closure flap 1. The name of the addressee isapplied in the proper spaces 41 on the flap of the envelope, the amountdue the sender, the amount of money order fee, and the total thereof areapplied in their proper places within the space 49. The senders andaddressees names are applied in their proper spaces on the centralsection 28 of the C. O. D. tag. The charges to be remitted to the senderby money order are inserted in the box 38 and the amount of money ordercost in the box 39.

Upon mailing of the article, the mailing office applies its stamp in thespaces 33 and 43 of the C. O. D. tag. When the article is received atthe delivery ofdce, the postmaster detaches the portion of the tag tothe right of the line 30. The delivery employee applies his signature inthe proper space thereon, and this coupon is retained by the postmasterpending return of the remainder of the C. O. D. tag and money collected.

When the mailing piece is delivered to the addressee by the deliveringemployee, the employee will collect the total amount designated on theC. O. D. space to the right of the name and address of the addressee. Hewill then detach the C. O. D. tag I a on the line of perforation 2! andhave the addressee sign for receipt of the article in the space providedon the rear face of the tag. He then returns the tag to the deliveringofiice and a money order is made out for the correct amount and mailedto the sender.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided an envelope orsimilar mailing container with a C. O. D. tag that is convenient for useboth on the part of the addressor and the postal department. The tag isalways in convenient position and is retained so that there is littlechance of it becoming separated or lost from the envelope. The envelopeconstructed as described has the further advantage in eliminating costof the C. O. D. tags to the Government since with the present structurethe cost of the tags is included in the cost of the envelope and is paidby the purchaser.

What I claim and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A mailing piece comprising an envelope having front and back portionsforming a pocket having an insert opening for inserting an enclosureinto said pocket, a closure flap integral with one of said portions forclosing the insert opening, one'of said portions having an area thereonadapted to bear an address, and a collecton-delivery tag integral withsaid portion bearing the address area and spaced from said address areaand from the closure flap with edges thereof within the boundaries ofthe envelope.

2. A mailing piece including, an envelope having front and back portionsforming a pocket for containing an enclosure, a closure flap for thepocket, one of said portions having an area adapted to bear an address,and a collect-ondelivery tag integral with said portion along one edgeof said tag and adapted to overlie said portion in spaced relation withthe address area and with all marginal edges thereof located in insetrelation with adjacent edges of the envelope, said tag being free ofsaid closure flap and said closure flap being adapted to be manipulatedwithout detaching the tag from said portion.

3. An envelope having side flaps forming a face side of the envelope,one of said flaps being sealed to the other along overlapping edgesthereof at a point intermediate folds of said flaps, and an extensionprojecting from the flap having the outer of said overlapping edges andoverlying the other flap Within the boundaries of said envelope toprovide a collect-on-delivery tag as a fixed part of said envelope.

4. An enevolpe having side flaps forming a face side of the envelope,one of said flaps being sealed to the other along overlapping edgesthereof at a point intermediate folds of said flaps, an extensionprojecting from the flap having the outer of said overlapping edges andoverlying the other flap within the boundaries of said envelope toprovide a collect-on-delivery tag as a fixed part of said envelope, anda closure flap for said envelope independent of said extension.

5. An envelope having side flaps, one sealed to the other alongoverlapping edges thereof at a point intermediate side folds of saidflaps to form one side of the envelope, an extension projecting from theflap having the outer of said overlapping edges and overlying the otherflap within the boundaries of said envelope, said other flap havingslits into Which the corners of the extension are adapted to be tucked,and a closure flap for the envelope independent of said exten- SlOl'l.

6. An envelope having side flaps, on esealed to the other alongoverlapping edges thereof at a point intermediate side folds of saidflaps to form one side of the envelope, an extension projecting from theflap having the outer of said overlapping edges and overlying the otherflap within the boundaries of said envelope, said other flap havingslits into which the corners of the extension are adapted to be tucked,and a closure flap for the envelope independent of said extension, saidflap having the extension being provided with an area adapted forreceiving an address and said extension having collect-on-delivery datapertaining to the addressee as indicated on said address area.

'7. An envelope having side flaps, one sealed to the other alongoverlapping edges thereof at a point intermediate side folds of saidflaps to form one side of the envelope, a closure flap at one end of theenvelope foldable over said side flaps, an extension projecting from theflap having the outer of said overlapping edges and spaced from the endof the envelope having the closure flap to accommodate the closure flapand to overlie the other flap within the boundaries of said envelope,said other flap having slits into which the corners of the extension areadapted to be tucked, and a closure flap for the envelope independent ofsaid extension, said flap having the extension being provided with anarea adapted for receiving an address and. said extension havingcollect-on-clelivery data pertaining to the addressee as indicated onsaid address area.

8. An envelope having side flaps, one sealed to the other alongoverlapping edges thereof at a point intermediate side folds of saidflaps to form one side of the envelope, a closure flap at one end of theenvelope foldable over said side flaps, an extension projecting from theflap having the outer of said overlapping edges and spaced from the endof the envelope having the closure flap to accommodate the closure flapand to overlie the other flap within the boundaries of said envelope,and a closure flap for the envelope independent of said extension, saidflap having the extension being provided with an area adapted forreceiving an address and said extension having collect-on-delivery datapertaining to the addressee as indicated on said address area.

9. An envelope having a portion forming one side of a pocket, side flapson sides of said portion, one sealed to the other along overlappingedges thereof at a point intermediate side folds of said flaps to formthe other side of said pocket, an end flap at one end of the envelopesealed over the side flaps, a closure flap at the other end of theenvelope and adapted to fold over the side flaps to complete the closureof said pocket, and an extension projecting from the flap having theouter of said overlapping edges and spaced from the end and closureflaps to overlie said flap having the underlying edges.

EUGENE B. BERKOWI'IZ.

